Display sign



Jan. 7, 1930. D. KENNEDY 1,743,017

DISPLAY SIGN Jan. 7, 1930.

1 D. KENNEDY DI SPLAY SIGN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1927 "lllllll` I l l Patented Jan. 7, 1930 FTN FFCE DAVID KENNEDY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND DISPLAY SIGN Application filed July 27, 1927, Serial No. 208,740, and. in Great Britain November 13, 1926.

his invention is for improvements in or relating to display signs and the like and has for its'oloj ect to provide a novel and attractive construction and arrangement of the same. rllie invention concerns display signs and the like of the type comprising a base and a plurality of rotatable elements associated with it carrying the matter or a part of the matter to be displayed.

According to the present invention there is provided in a display sign of this type having a display front made up of separate sections which combined produce a legend, icture or the like the combination of display elements which constitute portions of the sections aforesaid and which are rotatable from the plane of'a display front into and out of appropriate register with the contiguous portions of the said sections and means to rotate the display elements as aforesaid.

NV hen the corresponding parts of the advertising or like matter register with each other the movable elements are preferably given a dwell so that the matter stands clear to the view for a short period.

ln order that the invention may be more clearly understood there will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, constructions of display signs according to the invention.

ln the drawings- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a view on an enlarged scale showing certain elements thereof;

Figurea is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but showing the elements in different relation;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the display sign when the latter has completed a cycle lof operations;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the sign at an intermediate stage in the cycle of operations;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a modified construction of sign also according to the invention display sign Figurev? is a view of the apparatus shown in Figure 6 before the cycle of operations has been completed;

Figure 8 is a front elevation of a further modification according to the invention;

Figure 9 is a View similar to Figure 8 showing the parts in different relation;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a diagram showing a modified construction of device in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 12 is a part sectional view showing a construction of gearswheel for use in the modification of Figure 11. K

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a framework 1 is built up of steel strip and carries at the left-haiid side a bracket 2 for an electricmotor 3. Driven by abel-t 4 from the motor shaft is a compound pulley 5 which drives by means of a belt 6 a pulley 7. `The diameters of the pulleys are so chosen in respect to the normal running speed of the motor, that the pulley 7 has an appropriately slow speed, say, forty revolutions per minute.

Upon the shaft of the pulley 7 is secured a pinion 8 (see also Figures 2 and 3) which meshes with a vear wheel 9 fast upon a short transverse shaft l() mounted in the framework` 1. Upon the end of the shaft 10 is secured a crank-arm 11 (see Figures 2 and 8) which carries at one end a pivoted finger or pawl 12. This linger carries a projection 112 which during rotation of the crank is adapted to contact with and drive one of three pins 13 spaced equidistantly around and formed upon the forward face of a disc 14 freely mounted on the shaft l0.

Spaced around the disc 14 at one hundred and twenty degrees apart are two stationary cam-members 15, 16which overlie the path of rotationof the finger 12. rlhe arrange mentis such that as the crank arm 11 rotates the finger contacts with the upper cam-memher 15 and is swung about its pivot Vso that itsprojection 112 is removed from the path of the pin 13 which lies nearest to the cam 15. After passing from under the cam, the finger is swung hack into its operative position by a spring 17 and picks up the next pin 13 which Y it carries with it for a third of ay revolution.

Vhcn the finger reaches the lower cam 16 it is rocked to disengage itsV proj ection from the pin 13, which thereupon remains stationary during the completion of a rotation of the crank-arm 11, after which the sequence is repeated. e

Secured to Vthe disc 14 so as to rotate therewith isa chain wheel 17L (see Figuresl and 2*) which drives by means of afchain 18 a larger chain-wheel 19. Integral with the chain wheel 19 is a smaller chain wheel 20. Mounted in horizontal rows spaced vertically apart in the 'frame work 1 are a series (in the present instance eleven) of horizontal spindles 2l. On each of these spindles is a chain wheel 22 and around each of Y these wheels passes a chain 33 driven by the chain wheel 20. The chain 33 is led around the chain wheel 22 in such a Vmanner that the' spindlesrotate in various directions as indicated by the arrows in Figure 1.

The spindles yare mounted with their axes perpendicular toa base member 24 also supported by the framework 1.

Mounted upon the spindles 21 so asY to rotate therewith are a series of discs 23 (see Figures 1, 4 and 5) which are arrangedto lie substantiallyv flush with the base member; preferably they are situated each in a circular opening in the base-member 24. Across the base member and the disc the advertising matter or the like such as reading matter is printed, embossed or otherwise made clear as shown in Figure 4. The characters are partly formed upon the base member and partly upon the discs, for example part of a single letter such as A is carried upon the base member and the other partof theV letter is carried upon a disc, and at certain times in therotations of the disc will be feo made toregister therewith. lVhen the parts of the letters upon the various discs register with the corresponding parts upon the base member atthe end of a cycle of operations the matter printed across the sign will then become legible as shown in Figure 4 but not otherwise. VAt any intermediate point before the cycle of operations has been completed, the matter printed across the sign will not be legible,but will assume an indefinite or changing relationship, such as is shown in Figure 5. v

Mechanism is provided whereby a dwell Y longer thanthat given by the driving mecha- `nism above Vdescribed will be given to the discs when they register with the matterA on the base member. The means for producing this dwell is as -follows z-The crankkarm 11 (Figure 2) carries upon one end two teeth 25.,wliich during rotation of the crank-arm yengage intermittently with and impart a par.- tialA rotation to a ratchet wlieel 26 situated on a shaft 27. The ratchetY wheel has secured to it an up-standing cam-member 28 which, at

repeated until the cam'28 is again brought into operative position. During this dwell the chain wheel 17 a, the spindles 21 and the matter printed across the sign will be stationary for a period sufficiently longV to enable the reader to study the displayed4 matter. A leaf-spring 29 having a curved end vbears against the periphery of the disc 14 and entiers a notch-cut therein to hold the disc stationary during this dwell. A similar spring 30 bears against the periphery of the ratchetwheel to prevent unwanted movement of the latter.

In the operationof the device there will follow successively intervals during which the discs are rotating (the advertising matter being therefore illegible) and dwells during the longest one of a` plurality of which, the Y carried wholly by the base member and the f sign may consist matter printed across the of words, letters, numerals or other characters, or a combination of such, ormay con-p sist of pictorial matter. 7 VIn the modification shown in` Figures 6 and 7 the discs 23 each have formed upon them parts of two letters, and the discs are arranged in pairs, one above the other, so that the parts of the letters combine together-A to complete each letter successively when thediscs are each rotated through half a revolution with the arrangement illustrated. By giving the discs a dwell after every half revolution, ent kinds may be Figures 6 and 7 each of the upper and lower discs of the left hand pair in each figure have formed upon them parts ofthe lettersFL and T and the upper and lower-discs of the right hand pair have formed upon them parts of the letters E, 'and J. As seen from these two figures, at the end of advertising matter of two differpresented successively. In".V

one half revolution the letters appearing uponthe i' discs are L E while after anotherhalf revo-L lution they have changed to T J. l

In the modification shown in Figures 8,19

and 10, each' of the spindles21 carries upon letters so divided that the parts ot the .fletscreen may ters carried by a group of spindles at certain times combine together to complete the letter, while at other times each part rotates with its spindle and the letter is illegible. As shown in Figures 8 and 9 the letter E is divided up into five parts, each of which rotates upon a spindle. Similarly, the letters nK, I and L are divided up into a various number of parts each mounted on a separate spindle. At certain intervals, determined by mechanism similar to that described in the first construction, the various parts register and form a legible word or sentence as shown in Figure 8, and at other times they are independently rotating and produce indefinite outlines as indicated in Figure 9.r

In the modification diagrammatically illustrated in Figure ll, the base-board 30 carri-es a plurality of rotatable elements 31 which carry or are co-nstituted by gear-wheels so spaced as to mesh with one another, whereby the imparting of the drive to the elements is simplified. 'The various gear-wheels are arranged in rows, the wheels of Ieach row being slightly staggered. One wheel about the middle of a row is sufficiently offset to mesh with a similarly offset wheel in the middle of the next row, so that all the rows are geared together. Thus, for example a drive may be imparted to the wheel 32 which drives the wheels on each side of it in its row; it also drives a wheel about the middle of the row above it, which in turn drives the wheels of each half of the upper row. With this arrangement of a substantially central drive which is distributed along various branches, the maximum amount of back-lash experienced at any part of the display sign is reduced to a minimum and the satisfactory operation of the device is thereby ensured.

The gear-wheels are conveniently and inexpensively manufactured in the manner shown in Figure l2. A rim 33 is formed with a peripheral set of gear-teeth 34, and with lateral flanges 35, 36. Thin sheet-steel covers 37, 38 are flanged at their peripheries to engage the flanges 35, 36, and are perforated at the middle to receive a spindle 39. The spindle may be secured by pressing it into the openings in the plates, or it may be soldered to them.

In al1 the constructions described the matter printed or otherwise formed upon the take the form of coloured pictures if desired and need not necessarily be confined to reading matter. Also, by forming the surface of the base and movable elements as a blackboard and writing thereon the matter to be intermittently displayed, the matter i can be easily changed when desired.

Other alterations may be made to the arrangement shown without ydeparting from the-scope of the invention, lsince the invention is not limited to the particular constructions illustrated.

lof the display they Iclaimpl Y l. In a display s'gn of the type described havingv a continuous display front made up of separate sections which combined vproduce a display of a legend, picture or the like, the combination of display lelements bearing portions of the display, whichdisplay elements constitute portions of the sections aforesaid andare rotatable in the plane of the display front to bring the portions of the the display they bear into and out of intelligible register with contiguous portions of the display front and means to rotate the display elements as aforesaid.

2. In a display sign of the type described having a continuous display front made up of separate sections which combined produce a display of a legend,picture or the like, the combination of a stationary display member, rotary display elements bearing portions of the display, which vdisplay elements constitute portions of the sections aforesaid, and are rotatable in the plane kof the display front to bring the portions of the display they bear into and out of intelligible register with contiguous portions of the display front and means to rotate the display elements as aforesaid. Y

3. In a display sign ofthe type described having a continuous display front exhibiting a legend made up of separate characters, the combination of display elem-ents bearing portions of the separate characters, which display elements are rotatable in the plane of the display front to bring the portions of the separate characters into and 'out of appropriate register with the other portion of the characters on the display front and means to rotatethe'display elements.v f

4. .In a display sign of the kind described having a display front providing'ay display of a legend, picture orthe like, the combination of a plurality of rotatable display members and a stationary displayv member constituting the said of the display front to bring the portions bear into and out of register with the portions of the display upon the said stationary display member and means for rotatingfsaid rotatable display members whereby the display is periodically and'successively *intelligibley and totally unintelligible 5. v In a display sign of the type described having a 'display front made up ofseparate sections which combined produce alegend, picture or the like, the combination ofV display elements which constitute portions of the sections aforesaid and which are rotatable n in the planeof the display front into and out of appropriate register with the contiguous display front, which Vrotatable members are' rotated in the plane portions of the said sections, driving mechanism for said display elements and means for rotating at least some of said display elements at din'ere'nt speeds.' Y

6. In' a display of the type described having a display front iliade up of separate sections Whic'hfcombined produce a legend, picture-or the like, the combination of display elements which constitute portions of the sections-aforesaid 'and which are rotatable in the plane of the' display front into and out of y lf5 lpicture or the like,

i said" appropriatev register .with the contiguous portions of the said sections, driving mechairisrn: for rotating said display elements and means for automatically'disconnecting the display elements from said driving mechanismto effect inl succession in the rotation of the display elements a series of short pauses and ai relatively long pause at which latter' pause the display elements are in appropriate register as aforesaid.

7.111 a display sign of the type described i up of vseparatev having; a display'front made sections which combined produce aV legend, the combination of display elements which constitute portions of the sections aforesaid and which are rotatable in the plano of the display front into and out of appropriate register with the contiguous portions of the said sections, driving mechanism .for rotating` said display elements, an' adjustable'y linger rotated by said driving mechanism, a driving. connection between said fingenand said display elements, a plurality of. cams to engage said linger periodically durin *itsy rotation and thereby to disengage nger from said driving connection so that a series of pauses are obtained in the rotation of the display members.

8;` In a; display sign of the type described having a display front made up of separate Y sectionsv which combined produce a legend,

picture or the like,

tions aforesaid and which are rotatable in the plane of the Vdisplay front intoV and out of appropriate register'with the'contiguous portions of the said sections, driving mechanism for' rotating said display elements, an adjustable finger rotated by Vsaid driving mechanism,y a drivin L connectionV between said finger and said isplayV elements, Va plurality Y cams to engage Y said?v finger Vperlodically itsrrotation thereby to'disengage ngerk from said driving Vconnection so series of pauses are obtained in the of durin said that a Vrotationof the display members, at one of Which 'auses sai`d` display elementsV are in the sai position ofv appropriate register and latch means to temporarily retain the display elements in saidA register.V 'Y

In testimony' whereof I alix my signature'. Y VBAVHD KENNEDY.

the combination of display elements which constitute portions of the secposi'tion of appropriate v .l 

